South Carolina ALR aiming for top again

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The Department of South Carolina has been one of the biggest contributors to The American Legion Legacy Run the past few years – and has every intention of being at the top of the donor list again following this year’s Legacy Run.

That’s why dozens of American Legion Riders met up last weekend to traverse more than 400 miles over two days during South Carolina’s State Legacy Run. More than 60 motorcycles and nearly 100 participants gathered in historic Abbeville – where South Carolina became the first state to secede and where Jefferson Davis officially acknowledged the dissolution of the Confederate government – to launch the run April 26.

Stops were made at Legion posts in Sumter, Rock Hill, Woodruff and Chapin before the ride ended at Memorial Park’s Vietnam Memorial Monument in Columbia, Mo. U.S. Rep. Joseph Wilson and Maj. Gen. Robert E. Livingston Jr. – adjutant general of the South Carolina Army & Air National Guard – both were on hand at the conclusion of the ride to offer thanks to the Riders for their efforts.

The State Legacy Run was the third conducted by the South Carolina ALR.

“We had our department convention in June, and right after that the ride committee starts to meet,” said Joe DiPasqua, chairman of the South Carolina American Legion Riders. “It takes a lot of people to make this happen the way it does.”

Ted Vincent, a member of Rock Hill Post 34 and co-chairman of this year’s ride, said he probably logged 700-800 miles along the route in preparation for the ride. His co-chairman was Jeff Hicks, a Rider from Post 3 in Greenville.

“It’s been fun,” Hicks said. “I like to ride, and this gives us an opportunity – or an excuse – to ride.”